It's not a fern, though for the LIFE of me, I can't recall the name. Perhaps you could post the image in the Name This Plant Forum, right here in the GardenWeb.

Looks similar to Foxtail Fern, Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyersii', not a fern, but a member of the Liliaceae Family and often grown as a houseplant.
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: Foxtail Fern

I was even wondering if it was a young dog-fennel.

I am going to guess that your picture is of Pellaea brachyptera, from the drawing and description in Hoshizaki and Moran's "Fern Grower's Manual". There are a lot of Pellaea species here in the western US. I'd love to try to grow some of the California native ones from spore...

Here's a link to Pellaea brachyptera at CalPhotos.
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: CalPhotos-Pellaea brachyptera

Well...

a) it isn't a fern, certainly not Pellaea brachyptera;
b) it isn't an Asparagus;
c) it isn't dog fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium);
d) it sure looks like Achillea millefolia, but I'm not certain.

Patrick Alexander

It does look like a young yarrow plant, my other thought was that it's a bit like the young growth of Nigella damascena